Dragon debrief

[guest7]

What a blinder of a rally.

To begin. Simon Morgan arrived at my house at 7.50pm on Thursday, downed an espresso and dashed off for an 8.00 curry date with the rest of the local crew.

On Friday morning, I got up at 6.00 to strip a choke plunger from a carb to send to Smudge then I kicked morgan awake and we set off to have breakfast at my dad's café. On the way back home to pick up the bikes we stopped off to see the other group assembling for their 9.00 departure.

Simon and I set off at 9.30 for a 10.00 redezvous with my brother Gareth, his partner Liz, her brother Rick and his chum Lyn. We had a slow start as it was my brother's first proper ride on a sidecar outfit, but he got quicker the further we went.

We stopped at the Dolwen café near Llanidloes for lunch and as usual they treated us fantastically. They have a soft spot for us Dragoneers and always wish us well.

We eventually rolled into Llanberis around 4.30 and made our selves at home in the nice bunkhouse above Petes Eats. Simon unravelled ten yards of cabling and sorted out a connection to the TV so we could watch his footage of the ride up. He has fitted rearwards and forward facing cameras to his bike and can toggle between the two whilst on the move. I'm informed that some of the footage will be on YouTube shortly.

Boyd, Martyn and Terry had been early arrivals and so ate before us, but we settled on a curry house up the road before returning to the pub for a nice night of pool, cheesy juke box choices and natter.

On Saturday morning we had a spiffing breakfast and made our way, in sunshine, through the Llanberis pass and down to the checkpoint near Beddgelert.

The campsite was only a mile further on and the spot was lovely, nestling between mountains. We were reasonably early and we easily found room to camp next to the Norwegian shirt brigade aka Jethro, Julian, Rob, etc. And then, to our surprise, Pat rolled up. The sneaky boy had pulled a flanker and arranged the trip in secret. It was great to see him.

With tents up it was mere moments before Andy Metcalf talked me into trying a G&T from his C***tail cabinet. Later on we saw a bloke dressed as 'the only gay in the village' i.e. a skin tight spandex t-shirt and a matching pair of shorts. Steffan was horrified by the sight of this, as were all of us. Later as I walked the site with Steffan, the spandex boy came up to us and said. "Hiya Steffan, it's me, Huw from the MZ club". Oh how I laughed.

Some of the lads set off for the nearest pub to watch the Wales match, whilst others stayed on site to wander around looking at bikes. I read a book and had a lovely kip in my delightfully warm tent. Upon their return the lads reported that the pub had run out of beer and my brother was still there, occasionally smuggling beer in from the pub opposite... he's a card.

Steffan introduced to three lads who had ridden over from Eire on Bullets and they were nice fellas.

As night fell I heated up the massive pot of beef stew that I had cooked in the bunkhouse the night before and we all tucked in. Then it was off to Andy's bike for C***tails at 6.00. He had laid on a fantastic spread including champagne and cigars. We all toasted him on his upcoming nuptials.

After lots of oohs and aahs brought on by fireworks we walked down to the beer tent. Gareth and Simon carried our 40 pint barrel of bitter between them. We had planned on being rigorous about getting the £1 a pint that the beer had cost us, but within minutes that plan had to be abandoned. The usual dragon night then followed, with lots of talking to strangers and doing silly dances. Nobody who knows him will be surprised to hear that Simon Morgan was the last back to his tent.

Sunday dawned bright and frosty... very frosty as it happens and I regretted not using an inner tent because every accidental brush of the tent walls brought shards of frozen condensation down on me. One of Julian's chums had had the foresight to bring a handbrush and we all followed his example and brushed the ice off our tents and bikes. A top tip.

With breakfast and coffee consumed our little group set off for the ride back and a lunch date at the Dolwen café. We arrived to a scene of chaos at the café with bikes parked everywhere and a woman I recognised as a regular trying to stop us entering because she was waiting for a parking space. In fact she was having a massive strop. As it happened, virtually the only bike parked in a car bay was Pat's and he was good enough to move it for her, which improved her mood 300%.

As we walked back into the café a bloke accosted my brother and said "are you Graham Carrick?", my brother looked unnerved and passed him on to me. Last week on a sidecar list a bloke called Adrian had posted his plans to stop at Rhayader for lunch on the way back from the Dragon. I'd replied that he should try the Dolwen instead and now here he was thanking me for the tip, him and his mates had been knocked out by the food (and the price).

After that (and a slightly fractious moment involving my brother and some others) we set off for the final leg of the trip home. The whole day had been spent riding in sunshine or sat in cafes eating... who could ask for more?

On a personal level, I had a fantastic rally. The company was excellent and all the little plans and japes worked a treat.
GC

[Richard]

Mr Edwards (aka Steffan) and I wandered off from Lampeter at about 12:30 on the Friday.  This year I got as far as Aberystwyth before the BMW broke down.  After a short teddy throwing exercise I borrowed the Enfield for a trip to the only bike dealer in town, SRM - the BSA specialists.  A very helpful apprentice gave me a few clutch cable fulcrums which with a 99p Focus hacksaw was made to fit a BMW.  Result.

My travelling companion then revealed that he had left his Dragon ticket at home.  Ho Hum.  Thank goodness for next day delivery and mobile phones.

A splendid trip to Betws y Coed and the Glan Aber bunkhouse.  Solid grub and good company.  The second pub was a bit odd mind and the outdoor shops full of fashionable tat.  £53 for dog shoes anybody ?

The Dragon site was very good this year, less than a mile out of Beddgelert on the Capel Curig road and brilliant sunshine, quite unseasonably warm with T shirts the norm, in February !  The stream was a nice touch, and the nearby lake awesomely placid.  I thought that the bikes were also more interesting with less big oilhead Beemers and Tigers about than has become the norm.  Loads of outfits about.  Good fireworks too.

John, Roderick and Nigel turned up from Ireland to swell the numbers of Enfields and provide an international air to the b*****ks being talked.

By prior agreement, rather than cock up, neither Mr Edwards nor I bothered with a tent this year.  I borrowed his tarp whilst he went for a very flash bivvy bag with hood.  The temperature plummeted, but all was well.  The water bottles froze to slush along with more than a few beer bottles.  My new Arctic bag proved its worth.

Come the morning there was an expectation that more than a few bikes would fail to start due to the cold.  Don't you believe it.  Even the BMW went on the button, albeit after a good spray from the Lazarus can (Easy Start, raises the dead........).  The kick started Enfields proved their pedigree.

After that a detour to Petes Easts to bid farewell to the Irish comrades and home.

Probably the best Dragon for a fair while now...................but not nearly hard enough.

Richard

[squirrelciv]

Yes 'tis true, I did a sneaky 'turn up' and I was sooo glad I went.

I really wasn't going to go, but an impromptu purchase of a small army Trangia (for my minimalist camping set up) sparked a last minute scramble for a ticket.

I set off at 6:30am Saturday morning through heavy fog and questioned my reasoning, but rising over the mist as the sun illuminated the Brecon Beacons put my mind at rest. The rest of the ride along the A470 was all you could hope for. Clear roads and clearer skies, allowed for some gentle riding and time to soak up the views.
My plan was to sneak on site, pitch up then seek out the chaps and surprize them. Imagine the horror of being spotted by GC as the very first person you see as you enter the camp site  Shouts of "What are you doing here?" and fingers pointing to available pitches right in the heart of the group killed my jolly jape dead!
An afternoon in the pub with no beer watching the rugby, followed by Cocktails was the perfect preamble to a night of chat, booze and laughter in the marquee.
Morning arrived in a glorious vail of frost that covered everything. As the sun started it's labours on the surounding hills it displayed the peaks in glorious shades of burnt orange and terracotta. Beautiful.
All must end and it soon became time to break camp. Most of the chaps had gone by the time Dolly was loaded with only Simon 'Last man standing' Morgan left to wave me off. But that was not the last I was to see of the guys. I came across Boyd, SteveD (I've still got your torch BTW matey) and Martin by the side of the road repairing a seized brake caliper on Martin's SRX. I also came across GC and his party enjoying coffee in a cafe before bumping into Jethro, Julian & co at the Cafe in Llanidloes.
Not wanting to head straight home I headed for my favourite Abergavenny Cafe (AKA SteveH's house ) for a loo break, cuppa and a ganders at his latest pride and joy, the Mz Traveller. The usual biker hang out at Abergavenny was as popular as ever with the dry roads and bright sun bringing many a Sunday specialist out. Sadly I got stuck behind a group heading for Pontypool who seemed extremely confident in a straight line but slightly more timid on the bendy bits. By the way their tail end Charlie kept double taking in his mirror, he must have been quite shocked not to lose the fully loaded Trailie chasing them
Having had my fun, I took the motorway at Newport and blatted straight home to awaiting wife, who decided the best place to exchange weekend stories was the local Pub.
Truely cracking weekend. Cheers to all that went for your company, especially Andy for the nibbles and G&T's

[guest7]

And thank you for not mentioning that your joy at seeing me on the ride home was because I'd ridden off that morning still owing you a tenner 

GC

[002]

After that (and a slightly fractious moment involving my brother and some others) we set off for the final leg of the trip home. The whole day had been spent riding in sunshine or sat in cafes eating... who could ask for more?

What was that all about ?

Was going to stick my head around the door before we left but Gareth came out and shouted something across the car park with a look of thunder on his face ? So thought "Bugger That" and left a few minutes later !

Was a good rally,and a good shake down run for my new outfit.Work in progress...needs stronger springs,retard the timing a gnats whisker,already knew about the sidecar front and my new lights have arrived...etc...etc..

Jethro

[guest7]

It wasn't just you who didn't say goodbye, a few of the group slipped out with little or no word. I guess you were the unlucky recipient because you were last to leave.

GC

[002]

It wasn't just you who didn't say goodbye, a few of the group slipped out with little or no word. I guess you were the unlucky recipient because you were last to leave.

GC

As I said was going to,but thought better of it !
Mind a fair bit of unthoughtfulness has been going on recently in various circles and it is getting a bit silly now !

Jethro

[guest7]

Mind a fair bit of unthoughtfulness has been going on recently in various circles and it is getting a bit silly now !

Sounds cryptic, care to add some detail?

Tell me all.
GC

[Steffan]

Indeed! I don't recall any thumpers apart from Andy saying farwell! 

Sorry, is this serious, people getting worked up about others not saying goodbye

Surely not?

Steffan

[jules]

Indeed! I don't recall any thumpers apart from Andy saying farwell! 

Sorry, is this serious, people getting worked up about others not saying goodbye

Surely not?

Steffan

it certainly seems that way,as for it being fractious it was only so from gagsy and put on the forum as a nasty dig from gc,i hope thats not too cryptic

[Steffan]

If there is going to be an argument, couldn't it be about something of importance like does a cg125 qualify as a thumper or should membership exclude  people who have a 2T fetish?

To my mind life it is too short to be worrying about whether the party of the first part said goodbye at a rally or not - I mean its not like we're dating each other - well not as far as I know and certainly not for my part.

Just my 2p worth and I already have my coat.

Steffan
the incredulous

[mini-thumper]

Why don't we raise some money for the club by selling Thumper Club Dragon Rally 2008 Handbags? 

Boyd

[Steffan]

Ooooh Boyd, put me down for one. Are they still useable in other years??

Steffan

[guest7]

It would end up with someone noticing that the handbags were made in China and querying their reliability. 

GC

ps Gareth's little moment was at the Dolwen café, not as we left the campsite.

In fact I was completely guilty of not saying goodbye to Simon at the rally ground despite having travelled up with him. I drove Liz to her bike and waited for the rest of the group to come along, then we all drove off together. It was only after a mile or so that I realised Simon wasn't coming with us, Doh!  It turns out that most of the group had assumed he'd be riding with us, hadn't said our proper goodbyes, and we all felt really guilty. A phone call later in the day established that he wanted a leisurely start and to ride his own route back so we were forgiven.

[guest7]

...  and put on the forum as a nasty dig from gc

I'd have to say my state of mind was depressed rather than malicious. And that's a sincere genuine fact.

GC